Tips and Recipes For Healthy Juices and Smoothies

Smooth Moves

Drink your way to healthy! According to many diet experts, juicing and drinking smoothies is a healthy way to clean up your eating habits, help you lose weight and restore your body. But, hear me out before you run for the nearest peanut butter and banana smoothie (although that does sound delicious right now). Don’t solely base your diet on just liquids. Slowly introducing juice and smoothies is one of the surest ways to maintain a healthy habit! I recently began the art of juicing (trust me, it can be messy at times) and have some tips to help you add some vegetables and fruits to your life. And, did I mention I have delicious recipes for you to try?

Juicer vs. Blender

It seems commonsensical to use a juicer to make yourself juice and a blender to blend and make a smoothie. However, many people have successfully used a blender to make juice. (Little more advance for my liking.) But, to settle the debate over the juicer and blender, it really comes down to what you are most interested in making. Both are equal in terms of creating healthy food, but their process produces different consistencies and textures.

I use both a juicer and blender because I like variety in food tastes at various times during the day. In the morning, I enjoy a good peanut butter and banana smoothie (made with a blender) that keeps me full until it’s time for lunch. Around the afternoon, early evening, I throw back a half-pint size of vegetable juice I made that morning in the juicer. So, I enjoy the option of having both a blender and juicer.

But, when it is all said in done, no matter if it was blended or juiced, you are getting a good dose of healthy eating.

Juicing and Blending for Weight Loss

Juicing and making smoothies has become a ritual for people trying to lose weight and get in shape. I’ve tried it and enjoy making myself a lovely drink every day! Here are my favorite juices and smoothies to make.

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

I drink this delicious smoothie for breakfast, and it keeps me full and focused until lunch time. Yields 2 cups!

You’ll Need:

1 cup low-fat milk

½ cup vanilla greek yogurt

1 (heaping) tablespoon of peanut butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup of ice

1 ripe banana

Directions:

Place all ingredients into the blend

Process until smooth

Enjoy

V-8 Juice

I love, love, love v-8 juice! This recipe is a healthy copycat from the popular V8, except it is free from processed ingredients, food coloring and salt. Yields 3 ½ pint mason jars.

You’ll Need:

6 tomatoes*

4 carrots

4 stalks of celery**

1 bunch of spinach

1 beet

1 lemon

Directions:

Juice your ingredients except for the lemon

Stir juice together

Squirt lemon juice in the juice

*Tomatoes can be expensive to buy so I buy organic tomato juice. It’s cheaper and will last longer for you and your juice making.

**If you like a saltier taste, add more celery.

Tips For Juicing and Smoothie-Making

Too Much: Adding too many vegetables to your juice or smoothie only muddies the taste and color. Be specific on what you add and remember to keep it simple. Add about four vegetables, one base, one fruit and a herb.

Adding Produce You Don’t Like: If you wouldn’t usually eat the fruit or vegetable in its whole form, don’t add it to your juice or smoothie. I personally don’t like kale, so I don’t add it to my juice. You can’t bury the taste of something you don’t like with other produce. Instead choose food that you enjoy eating because it will motivate you to continue.

Healthy Lunch Doesn’t Equal Fatty Snack Later: I’m proud of you for replacing one meal with a healthy juice or smoothie, but don’t ruin it by snacking on that chocolate cake later tonight. The surest way to lose weight is by maintaining a healthy diet. It’s OK to have a cheat day every once in a while but remember to stay strong and drink on!

Try making a delicious juice or smoothie to go along with your healthy lifestyle, today!

Did you love learning all about juicing and smoothie making? Let us know how you feel in the comments below or share your own recipe!

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About The Author

Allyson Miller

Allyson Miller is a bookworm, history nerd and outdoor enthusiast who loves writing creative and informational content for SBT in Rock Hill, SC. Depending on the day, you can find her with her nose in historical documents, shopping for trendy exercise outfits or trying new cooking recipes. Allyson dreams that one day, engineers will figure out a way to build roller coasters sans the incline, ridding her of coasterphobia.